Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has submitted a transfer request , hours after the Premier League club released a statement saying he is not for sale .

The 25 - year - old Brazillian had been a transfer target for Barcelona who seek a replacement for Neymar Jr. The Catalans submitted two bids – £ 70 m and £ 90 m – which were rejected by the Reds , who afterwards released a statement warning Barca to keep off their talisman.

The Catalans submitted two bids which were rejected by the Reds , who afterwards released a statement warning Barca to keep off their talisman.
Earlier , Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard had said Coutinho would have to start a ‘ war’ to leave Anfield for the Nou Camp.

According to UK ’s Mirror, Coutinho is angry at Liverpool ’s refusal to accept Barcelona ’ s bid for him .

“Philippe has tried very hard to find an amicable solution to this situation but to no avail, ” the newspaper quoted a family member as saying.
“He has tremendous love for the club and its fans.

“But like Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez have pointed out in the past, Liverpool does not let its players leave on amicable terms . ”

Manchester United are in discussions to re- sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the second half of the season when he recovers from a serious knee injury, manager Jose Mourinho confirmed on Friday.

The former Sweden striker was United ’ s top scorer last season, hitting 28 goals as they won the Europa League, the League Cup and the Community Shield .

However, he is without a club as he recovers from cruciate knee ligament damage sustained during the Europa League quarter - final against Anderlecht in April .

Ibrahimovic ’s one - year deal at Old Trafford expired in June and was not extended following the injury.

He has trained with the club during his rehabilitation, though, and Mourinho has made clear he still believes the forward can do a job for him .

Ibrahimovic –- who had won league titles with every club he had played for before joining United on a free transfer from Paris Saint -Germain a year ago — has made clear that he was disappointed to finish sixth with Mourinho’s team last season.
The United boss is aiming higher this time, and wants the 35 - year - old to be a part of that effort.
“Zlatan is injured and needs time to recover,”
Mourinho said on Friday. “He is not ready to play tomorrow, so it is not something that ’s urgent. We are not desperate to have it (a deal ) done or not .

“He wants more football at the highest level so we are having conversations and discussing the possibility of him staying for the second part of the season. ”

United kick off their Premier League campaign at home to West Ham on Sunday , having won six of their seven pre - season friendlies.

AFP

Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool will all fight to sign Leciester City winger Demarai Gray at the end of the season, according to a report from the Mirror .

The Foxes attacker is growing frustrated with his lack of playing time at the King Power, having played only two full games for the club this season, and will reluctantly push for a move in the summer.

A number of clubs are monitoring Gray's situation, with the aforementioned trio thought to be at the forefront of the battle for the £22 million man's signature.

Real Madrid want to beat Barcelona to the signing of Hector Bellerin and are willing to offer Danilo in exchange, according to Don Balon .

Florentino Perez hopes to offload the Brazilian and strengthen Zinedine Zidane's right-sided options and would reportedly love to beat Barca to the Arsenal star.

Manchester City are planning a potential €60m move for Juventus full-back Alex Sandro, reports Tuttosport .

Pep Guardiola sees the Brazilian as an ideal addition at the Etihad Stadium as he seeks to freshen up an ageing defensive unit.

Lionel Messis has turned down Barcelona's opening offer of a new contract at Camp Nou, according to AS.

The Argentine forward is only tied to a deal until 2018, but has snubbed the chance to extend that agreement on terms of €30-35m net per season

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has rejected the chance to join Juventus this summer, according to The Sun.
The Spain international is not willing to play second fiddle to Gonzalo Higuain in Turin, though the Blues are aiming to replace Costa with Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata.

The Europa League champions, Sevilla, have sealed a deal to take the Italy striker Ciro Immobile on loan from Borussia Dortmund for the 2015-16 season, pending a medical, the La Liga club said.

Immobile, 25, will take his medical on Monday before joining his new team-mates at their training camp in south-east Spain, Sevilla said on their website.

Sevilla were in the market for a goalscorer after they sold the Colombia forward Carlos Bacca to Milan and will be hoping Immobile can rediscover the form that made him the top scorer in Serie A when playing for Torino in 2013-14.

He had a disappointing campaign with Dortmund last season, managing only 10 goals in 32 appearances.

Immobile had loan spells at Siena, Grosseto, Pescara and Genoa before joining Torino and then moving to Dortmund for £13m a year ago.

Stoke have announced the signing of the England right-back Glen Johnson on a two-year contract, “subject to finalising the formalities”.

The former Liverpool player has signed an initial two-year contract, with the potential for a third year.

He is Stoke’s sixth signing of the summer and has travelled to Singapore to meet up with his new team-mates on their pre-season tour.

SOURCE: theguardian.com

The goalkeeper waved goodbye to the club's fans at a press conference on Sunday and confirmed his move to Porto, ending a career at the Spanish side which stretches back 25 years.

Iker Casillas bid an emotional farewell to Real Madrid on Sunday as he confirmed he is now a Porto player.

The goalkeeper brings an end to 25 years at the Santiago Bernabeu side to join the Portuguese outfit after a deal was agreed on Saturday night.

And a tearful Casillas, who sat alone at his press conference, thanked the club's fans for all the support they have shown him during his trophy-laden, and says he is looking forward to continuing his career.

"I have come to this great stadium today to say goodbye to all of you," he said. "Especially to the Madrid fans. As of Saturday I'm no longer a Real Madrid player, now I'll be a Porto player.

"I am moving to Porto for many reasons. Firstly I am joining Porto because of the excitement that the coach has transmitted to me.

"Secondly, because of their affection - they have won me over. I'll do everything I can to not disappoint them and fight as hard as possible to win as many titles as I possibly can there."



Struggling to get his words out, the World Cup winning goalkeeper spoke of the influence Madrid has had on him as a man and an athlete, urging the fans to remember him as a "good person" instead of a goalkeeper.

"This club didn't just teach me how to be a sportsman, it taught me how to be a person," he explained.

"I've learned a lot from all of my coaches. They have been a fundamental part of my development and my career.

"Every day we've been forming a part of Real Madrid and they've always supported me.

"I want to say thank you to my parents and all my family.

"Thank you to the Madrid fans for their unconditional support, helping me lift every cup, every triumph, for being with me in the good moments and the bad moments. For giving me a hand when I needed lifting up.

"I don't want to be remembered as a good goalkeeper or a bad goalkeeper, I just want to be remembered as a good person.

"Thank you. Thank you. A thousand thank yous. Wherever I go, I will always shout 'Hala Madrid!'

"I’m sure in the future we’ll see each other. I’m not going to say goodbye, because it’s not goodbye. I hope to see you soon. Thank you, to all of you."

The Germany midfielder will leave his boyhood club and move to Old Trafford this summer and explained his decision with a message to fans of the Bundesliga outfit

Bastian Schweinsteiger has penned an open letter to Bayern Munich supporters after it was revealed he would be leaving his boyhood club for Manchester United.

The two clubs confirmed on Saturday the Germany international would be leaving the Allianz Arena to join the Red Devils in a deal worth around £12 million.

And Schweinsteiger, who won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League title with the Bavarians, explained his decision to fans by claiming he wanted to experience life at a different club.
"Dear fans, after 17 incredible years at FC Bayern, 15 national titles, winning the historical triple and uncountable other highlights that I was fortunate enough to experience with my incredible team, all you exceptional fans and the co-workers at Sabener Strasse and Allianz Arena, I have decided to take a new career step," he wrote on his Twitter.

"This decision was very hard to make because you and FCB have, are and will always be an extremely important part of my life.

"Nevertheless, I would like to again gain experience at a new club. My destination is Manchester United. I hope you understand my decision.

"No one can take away the incredible journey we had together. #MiaSanMia."

'I'm going to Man Utd... one last dream'



 

The goalkeeper, formerly of Borussia Monchengladbach and Neuchatel Xamax, has signed a three-year deal with the Scottish champions following his move from OH Leuven

Celtic have signed Belgium international Logan Bailly, with the goalkeeper signing a three-year deal at the club.

The 29-year-old moves to the Scottish giants from Belgian club OH Leuven, for whom he made 113 appearances in three seasons.

Formerly of Genk, Borussia Monchengladbach and Neuchatel Xamax, Bailly is hoping to provide competition for Celtic's current No.1 Craig Gordon next season.

"I have a lot of respect for Gordon because he is a great goalkeeper with a lot of experience in a long career so it will be nice to be training with him," Bailly told Celtic's official website.

"I'm 29 but I can still learn a lot from him. I think I'm in my prime just now as 29 or 30 is a great age for a goalkeeper.

"As I said, I'm 29 but I hope that my career is starting now and I still have a few years left to play football."



 

The Red Devils are on the verge of completing a deal worth up to €20 million for the 25-year-old right-back, who is being allowed to pursue his Champions League dream

Manchester United's capture of defender Matteo Darmian is all but complete, with Torino coach Giampiero Ventura confirming that a deal is imminent.

Goal understands that United have agreed a fee worth up to €20 million with the Italian club to sign the 25-year-old right-back, with an announcement expected in the coming days.

And Ventura says that he could hardly step in to prevent his charge from taking the opportunity to play at the highest level.

"It's true, Darmian will play in the Champions League with Manchester United," the coach told Sky Sport Italia.

"Matteo deserves a top team and always dreamed of playing in the Champions League so now that dream will be realised.

"In these four years since Darmian joined Torino from AC Milan, we've gone from Serie B and a great depression to the top flight and the enthusiasm of the Europa League," Ventura continued.

"We worked with Darmian for many years and it's only right he should be given the chance to make his Champions League dream come true."

United are also in talks for Nicolas Otamendi and still retain interest in Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos as Louis van Gaal shores up his back line.